Supermarket Spill Severly Injures Mother and Infant

This case involves a mother who slipped and fell at a supermarket while shopping with a 3-month-old infant. The infant was in a carrier on the mother’s person. Before the woman had come into the store, an associate had recently unloaded several cases of bottled water. The associate had not realized that a few of the bottles were punctured and after he left, the bottles began to leak onto the floor. The mother went into the bottled water aisle and slipped on the puddle of water that had formed next to the shelf. She suffered spinal damage and the infant suffered a head injury from the impact. The infant was anticipated to have developmental complications as a result of the incident.

Question(s) For Expert Witness

1. Please describe your experience in retail safety.

2. What are the standards and protocols regarding spills in aisles for large retail and grocery stores?

Expert Witness Response E-018899

I have 30+ years of experience in the field of safety and security. I previously served as the director of security services for a large chain retailer and as the senior director of safety at a retail warehouse. I have specific knowledge in the areas of policy and procedure that are considered standard in the industry as it relates to security, safety, and accident/injury. I have experience providing corporate expert witness testimony on cases involving premise liability, slip and fall accidents, and false arrest allegations, as well as basic policy and procedures that are considered standard in the retail safety and security industry. Grocery stores have a responsibility to maintain a clean and safe environment for their customers to shop. This includes having procedures in which employees are required to inspect and clean any spills and/or debris which may result in a potential slip/fall accident. These procedures can vary from business to business and I would need to review the defendant’s standard operating procedures to make a determination on whether or not safe practices were being followed. I have reviewed a variety of accident details related to slip, trip and fall injuries.